The fear of winning the Eurovision song contest

Pollapönk in their signature track suits. Óttarr Proppé, the Icelandic parliamentarian and the band's back up singer is the one raising his hands. Photo/Stefán Karlsson

Dr. Gunni’'s World of Icelandic Music.

Icelanders have a strange relationship with the Eurovision song contest. Having taken part since 1986, the nation still has hopes of winning the darn thing (as of now Iceland’s best result is being twice number two).

But the hope of winning is laden with fear, as it is believed that having to stage the contest in Iceland might well ruin the country’s weak economy.

This year, ten songs competed on TV with Pollapönk’s “Enga fordóma” (“No prejudice”), which won and hence will represent Iceland in the contest in Copenhagen in May. Quartet Pollapönk (Kidpunk) is led by guitarist/singers Heiðar and Haraldur, who are also in the more serious rock trio Botnleðja (aka Silt), which has been active since 1994.

Laying their world domination plans to rest in the early 21st century, Heiðar and Haraldur studied and became preschool teachers. Later Haraldur even became the chairman of the preschool teachers union. With Pollapönk they have released three albums of fun rock tunes aimed at kids.

Their Eurovision song borrows slightly from Steppenwolf's “Magic Carpet Ride,” but you’ll forget that when they start to dance in their signature colourful suits.. To spice things up even more, the band has recruited two back-up singers, the bearded Bibbi from the Viking metal band Skálmöld and one Óttarr Proppé (singer of the bands Ham and Dr. Spock). Óttarr will be the first-ever acting member of Parliament to perform in the Eurovision song contest. Hey, that’s something! Óttarr is the one in the blue track suit in the video with the lyrics in Icelandic.

Below you can watch them perform the song in the Icelandic original version and also in the official video with English lyrics (translated by musician and Iceland's adopted son John Grant).